Backup and Restore your Android device Using ClockWorkMod Recovery

Each time you decide to perform operations on your Android powered device the data saved on its storage memory or even on its SD card might be wiped out. Furthermore, if you want to do things more complicated like flashing a custom ROM, install unofficial updates, or beta firmware, you can wreck (brick) the phone’s system. But, there is a way in which you can avoid all these unfortunate aspects. You can make a full backup before starting the main process; and I’m not referring to any backup as you should save your current ROM first.

This is exactly what we will be checking during the present step by step guide: how to backup and restore your Android device before installing custom ROMs, or applying unofficial updates. And the perfect way to do it is by using the ClockWorkMod Recovery custom recovery image. With this you can backup the current ROM that is running on your phone, so in case if something goes wrong while trying to flash a new ROM into the system you will be able to revert and use the old software. This is the perfect method to use for avoiding bricking your smartphone.

As you know, the warranty is void each time you want to complete one of the up mentioned operations, so backing up the software is no longer an option for you. Anyway, you need to get ClockWorkMod Recovery first. If you don’t know CWM is a custom recovery designed to work on the Android platform and offer different capabilities to the users like: making backups, test custom ROMs, perform maintenance operations and so on.

Now let’s head to the proper guide. Make sure you read all the lines for understanding the concept and for completing a full and safe backup of your ROM. Also you will learn how to install and use CWM, so don’t skip sections of the tutorial.

How to Backup and Restore your Android device Using ClockWorkMod Recovery

First, you should root your device as you cannot install ClockWorkMod Recovery on an un-rooted handset. Check our previous posts as you can find a how to root guide suitable for your device.

Then you should know that not all the smartphones are being able to support the tool. So, before starting to do something, check here and see if your phone is on the list.

Then, after checking the compatibility and rooting the handset you must go on Google Play and search for the ROM Manager app.

Install the same.

Then open the tool.

Select the “flash ClockWorkMod Recovery” option.

Then, just select “Backup Current ROM” and follow the prompts.

The backup will be completed once you reboot the smartphone.

Now, if you decide to install a custom ROM into the system and something wrong happens just restore the backed up firmware by opening the app again and choosing “Manage and Restore Backup” and then “Restore”.

You will have the old OS as soon as you reboot the device.

So, there you have it; that’s how you can backup the current ROM before flashing a custom ROM, or update your Android device with an unofficial firmware, and this by using the ClockWorkMod Recovery tool. If you want to backup the rest of the files from your handset too, you can use other apps, or methods. In this way you can save your personal info whether it is about messages, contacts, calendar saves, Market apps and who knows what else. Just follow the links from below and you should be able to perform a full and safe backup of your Android powered phone:

all people here are buulshit!!! hahaha… you can fix your own problem by searching the web.. but if you can’t.. you are one of themillions stupid people living on earth..

Faisal

ROM Manager doesn’t support Samsung….Ridiculous !!!

Roy

Bullshit. Running just fine on my tab 10.1.

Blaming ROM Manager for your own mistake is kinda meh

Faisal

In ROM Manager, when I click flash ClockWorkMod Recovery, there was not listed my Samsung Galaxy Ace S5830, so I selected the first one. Then I clicked on “Backup Current ROM” and my screen got black. I tried to switch off, nothing works. I took off my battery, inserted again, but power button is not working. What is going on ? does my smartphone turned into paper-weight ?

You boot into recovery mode and select update from SD Card and select CWM (which you have to download) and select backup and restore….Simple

alls

can i make backup safetly with cwm 5 on galaxy ace s5830… will cwm back up brick my phone.
i will not use rom managr.

g7755725

No it means that if your device isn’t listed and you choose to install a recovery that your device isn’t shown, your device will brick because ROM manager doesn’t include certain android devices roms/recovery and to be honest it even showed you when you click device not shown in the bottom the only way to unbrick it is to repair it using a software repair tool devs created or the brand of your device tool, their is no possible way to recover your tablet/phone from the device itself aso your stupid for even doing it in the first place….

g7755725

Also forgot next time search your model for it on Google before using it in Samsung galaxy tab 10.1 is listed in the app and used it today

Rodrigo Zuluaga

I’m trying to restore from clockwork and sais MD5 mismatch…..!! What is happening…

alan

the “How to root Samsung Galaxy Note II” says I should backup my current ROM and brings me to this guide. This guide says I must root before I can backup. Catch 22?

aldus

i exactly have the same doubt…

Pierre Dubois

Hi, ROM Manager Just bricked my Gio, DO NOT USE AS IT’S WORTHLESS!!!!!!! Good thing that I don’t need the phone, it was s**t anyway, with old gingerbread,and battery life was useless but still DO NOT USE ROM Manager ON SAMSUNG GIO AS IT WILL BRICK IT!!!!

Pierre Dubois

Only solution is number 2, which is buying the RIFF Box JTAG interface, not even ODIN will help, check on the link:

Where are the Links!! I cannot live with this phone another second without rooting it!

alls

can i make backup safetly with cwm 5 on galaxy ace s5830… will cwm back up brick my phone.
i will not use rom manager.

pascalandrea

whats the web to dowload ace gt s5830i 4.1?

JackAss

Just a heads up, you DO NOT need to use Rom Manager to backup the phone. If you have rooted your phone then you will obviously has cwm installed. Turn off the phone, remove battery, put it back in, and power it up in fastboot mode (the dos-like mode for newbies); it is usually power+volume down button together. From here select Recovery, then choose Backup and Restore, then choose Backup. Thats it. It will take some time but it will get the job done. You can have a backup of the backup by going into the cwm folder (cwm, clokwork mod) and choose the folder with the date on which you backed up the phone.

Ahmed

I have a Galaxy tab 7″ “P1000″ and I want to know how to install the CWM coz I didnt find it in the supported devices list
thx

let´s see if i understood your instructions: you say that first of all we have to backup our data but later in tis page, it says that first we have to unroot our device in order to install the software for backing up… is that a loop or what?

Chris

I backed up mine before trying a new unofficial update and when I go to restore it says “couldn’t open directory” “no files found”
I did back it up… how do I restore now?

Mark Joseph Federico

hi guys i just wanna know if somebody knows the deafult name of the back up file of gt s7562 cause i think i have renamed it …. please help thanks

I have nokia x( normandy) and its not listed in cwm recovery as a result I am not able to backup my current rom any if there is other way to backup nokia x rom then plz suggest…

pupuyski

is there a rooting guide for O+ air? thanks

dreyofmpc

use kingroot

Will

Howroot droid x2

parichay

I have not installed cvm on my rooted moto e and now i have bricked my phone. How will i enter into the recovery?

Dhino

Am getting an error while backing up my rom. Generating md5 sum is not found. Please help

Pamela

Please help. My phone is rooted so when I did the flash but the I only made it to #6. My phone is stuck & no matter what I do, it comes back to recovery mode and not allowing me to go any further. I have a Samsung note 3 N900P.

Lalit Sahoo

Does backup ROM will backup of all the installed apps, settings, phone book, sms etc. or only the ROM?

Hi…i wud like to know if gingerbread version in my samsung galaxy beam can be upgraded to jelly bean or any other higher version os or not, so that i can read and write unicode character on the phone? if yes how to do it…please help… i m not technically expert.. wish anyone here can explain me in plain simple layman term..thnx in advance.

Joseph Gibson

I have everything backed up on titanium. Should I still use this app? Does titanium not copy the current rom?